Varner, April
Cellar Music, 2026, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 32.2
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 77
O’s Notes: April Varner is a fiery, young, red-head from Toledo that is lighting up the NYC music scene. Her latest endeavor is an ambitious program celebrating the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. April captures Ella’s essence while staying true to her own vocal signature resulting in a fresh set of classic covers. Her band is excellent with a tight rhythm section including pianist, arranger Emmet Cohen, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and drummer, producer Ulysses Owens Jr. Trumpeter Brian Lynch steps in with arrangements for the larger ensemble. We enjoyed “Night And Day”, “Cheek To Cheek” with a fine bass solo, and “Undecided” with piano and drum solos complementing Varner’s scatting.
Publicist: Lisa Reedy Promotions